Tire for wheels of road vehicles



9ct. 3o, I1923.

W. c. BILHAM TIRE Fon WHEELS oF ROAD VEHICLES original me@ Aug. e, ma'

WITNES AEM INVENTOR Q Patented @et Eil?,

UNTED STA-TES PATENT OFFICE,a

TIRE FOR WHEELS OF ROAD VEHICLES.

Application filed vAugust G, 1920, Serial No. 401,764. Renewed September 18, 1923.

V(GRANTED UNDER THE AE'ROV-'ISIGNS OF THE ACT 0F MARGH 3, i921, 41 STAT. Il., 1313.)

To all whom t vmay concern-z Be it known that I, TvViLnrAM CHARLES BILHAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 64 Shakespeare Avenue, Southampton, England, have invented an Improved Tire for lheels of Road Vehicles for which I have tiled an application in xreat Britain, Dec. 7, 1918, Patent No. 134:,- 671); of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates toelastic tires for wheels of road vehicles, and has for its object to provide a resilient tire, the tread surfacerof which can be easily removed without interfering with the main body of the tire, or affecting the resiliency of same.

To the above end, the invention comprises a series of elastic rubber bands which are placed one above the other, the inner one resting upon the surface of the rim, the rim being of metal or other suitable material, and the bands being provided with spaced transverse blocks of rubber or the like secured to the bands and extending the entire width of the bands. The blocks may be any suitable shape and are preferably spaced aparta distance at least equa-itc the width of the blocks.

In constructing the tire, the bands are so arranged that, when pressure is applied to the tread of the tire, the blocks on each band are forced to .bear between the blocks of the preceding band. Over the plain surface of the outermost band there is provided a strong band of canvas, leather, or other suitable material which forms the tread, and when the tread band is worn out and requires renewal, it may be readily replaced by a new one.

In action, all the blocks bear on the elastic portion of each preceding band, and thus provide a tire of great resilience.

Considering the functioning in relation to a single block of the outer series, when pressure is exerted thereon the block will tend to enter between the two adjacent blocks of the next succeeding series inward.- ly toward the rim, tending to force the int-ervening elastic band between said blocks, spreading them apart and forcing them toward the rim. Each of the two blocks so affected will tend to enter between the two adjacent blocks of next series and will in turn tend to force the intervening band between said blocks, spreading them apart. In this manner when pressure is exerted on a block of the outer series it will ,be transmitted to two blocks of the intermediate series and from those two blocks to three of the next series, constantly widening the base of support inwardly and insuring the outer block against tangential displacement due to the tractive thrust thereof against the road. This effectively prevents creeping of one band relative to another and avoids the excessive heating which results from such relative movement. It also prevents excessive longitudinal stretching of the bands by distributing the strain over an ever widening area of said bands in the direction of the rim.

Having thus generally described the obljects, naturel and eifects of the invention, I will now proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings which showv an example of a tire according to my invention. In the various figures the saine parts are designated by the saine letters, and they correspond with those used in the following explanation of the example.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a tire constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a por tion of the tire.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the intermediate bands of said tire.

Withk reference to the drawings, a designates the metal or other rim of the wheel, I) denotes a band of rubber or similar elastic material which carries a series of blocks c of rubber or the like, and is sprung or fitted on the wheel rim (t. Over the band Z9 and blocks o there is sprung a band b1 of rubber or similar elastic material which carries a series of blocks 01, each of which overlies the space between a pair of the blocks c carried by the band and over the band h1 and blocks c1 there is sprung a band b2 of rubber or similar elastic material which carries blocks c, each of which overlies the space between pair of the blocks c1 on the band h1. Over this bandv b2 and blocks c2 there is sprung a plain band b3 of rubber or similar elastic terial and over this there is iitted a band el of leather or other suitable material which forms the tread band. The bands o1 and b2 as shown in the drawings are, for purposes v spective blocks, the 'blocksbeing so'arrang'ed Y l0 that, when pressure is exerted on the tread of illustration, shown asthiclrer in propor- `VtionvtoV the blocksY than they would. be in actual practice. v

Figure 3 shows 1n plan view the arrangetions ofthe bands bf, b1', b2, with their rebands d andb, the blocks c1, c are forced respectively withl the bands l# and bfniore or less into the spaces between the blocks c and c1 respectively.

VIt willbe noted that in Figure 2, the tire `is shown as having its sides converging toward the tread thereof. Inv this manner the bases of the layers Vare progressively decreased in. width toward the tread of the tire therebyV givinofA each succeeding laye-r progressing inwar lyv a wider base than the preceding' layer. It will also be noted that the outer surface ot the band b3, that is to say, `the surface toward the treadV of the tire, is slightly curved and that the inner surface of the tread member fl is curved to Y conform with-the curvature of the outer surface of the band 3, whereby the tread d is held against lateral displacement. A

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure Y by Letters Patent is l. A resilient tire for vehicles comprising .an elastic band fitted about the rim of a blocks of the several series-being''spacedv apart a distance atleast equal to the width i of the bloclrsin thelneXt adjacent Aseries and loca-ted opposite the spaces between the blocks of said'nextadjacent series.

2. vA lresilient tire 'for Vehiclewheels coin- Y f prising a pluralityof` alternately superposed layers of elasticv bands and layers of spaced elastic blocks alternating therewith, the elastic blocks of" Veach layer being spaced apart, adistance at least equal to the'width of the' blocks7 the 'blocks of one layer lying opposite the spaces between thek blocks of the next adjacent layer. Y

3.'A resilient tire for road vehicles coin-Y prising a plurality ofV concentric resilient bands, a plurality off annular series of transversely arranged spaced resilient blocks between said bands, the blocks of each of the several series being spaced apart so that the blocks of one series will lie opposite the spaces of the adjacent series, and aV comparatively non-resilient removable tread for said tire.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand in presence of-two subscribing` witnesses.`

lVILLAMfCHARLES BILHAM.

' llitnesses: FREDERICK Y. 'CHEESBRO'UGH HAROLD LEEYMARRIOTT. 

